Shurmur press conf. transcript - 10/14

(Opening statement)- “Let me just start with the injuries, I’m sure that’s of note. Trent Richardson, his right side, his rib area, it’s being evaluated. I don’t have enough information right now to give you anything other than we’re just evaluating it, so we’ll see. That information will be made available if we know something definitive here in the next couple of days. (Jason) Pinkston, woke up this morning and he wasn’t feeling great. He was in and out of the lineup, and he battled through it. For the most part, that’s what we have injury wise. I told the team that gamedays never get old because at the end of the day you have a chance to win, and be greedy with that feeling you have from winning. Noticeably and obviously, we have a locker room full of excited, happy guys. It was a team victory. We can talk about a lot of the particulars, but we caused four turnovers. We got points off turnovers. We scored more points than we have in a while. Montario Hardesty steps in with Trent (Richardson) being in and out and was very productive. Joe Haden had an interception. Of course, Sheldon Brown’s interception for a touchdown, Josh Cribbs in his returns, and then all the people that make that happen. I thought (Brandon) Weeden battled. Really we fell victim to some tipped balls, which we’ve had happen to us here. What I thought, in fact I was talking last night about how we wanted to play this game, I thought it was important that we keep the running back involved throughout. I thought if Brandon had completions to seven different receivers, then that’s kind of how we would have had to play it. Well, eight guys caught balls, so that’s good. Josh Cooper made his presence felt. I felt like Josh Gordon got better. As I’m bouncing around here on defense of course, I saw a lot of young guys playing with a lot of enthusiasm and being very productive. When you lose it’s a team thing, and when you win, it’s a team thing. I’m very proud of those guys. Again, like I mentioned, that’s why you play the game, to have this feeling. Now we’ll enjoy it here for a few hours, and then get back early and get ready to play the Colts.”

(On if Randy Lerner was in the locker room today)- “I didn’t see him if he was.”

(On if he saw Jimmy Haslam after the game and what they talked about)- “Yeah, I did see him after the game. My conversations with him have been terrific to this point. It’s interesting, he has a business model that works, and every time we finish a conversation, he keeps asking what can I do for you? The fact that he was in the locker room after our first victory this season says a lot. I think he was just genuinely happy that we won, much like the players and coaches, and everybody that was in there.”

(On getting this win after being 0-5)- “I’m happy. I’m holding it back so I don’t appear sensitive. That’s a joke. I really believe what I said. We play this game, and you put a bunch of men together to go out and play a game so that you can feel the joy of winning, so when it happens, it’s terrific. Not so much for me, but for my family, the players, really everybody who goes to work on Monday morning. Monday’s feel better when you win a game.”

(On the offense clicking in the second half after struggling)- “I think we were just battling through it. I think we started out, if you consider us then of course the Bengals, there were a lot of three and outs to start the third quarter. The teams went in, made adjustments and they were battling back and forth. I think some of the turnovers that we got helped generate a little spark and of course we found a way to move the ball.”

(On there being a lot of talk on the third and one play last week and sticking with it this week)- “It’s really interesting, you want to be in third and one. If you’re going to have to deal with third downs, you want to be in third and one because the percentages say you’ve got a much better chance than third and 11 so you just battle them out. As I mentioned last week, we go into these situations with runs and passes called. Every situation in the game, we’re ready to throw it and run it. There are times when you mix it up. There are times when you make it, and there are times when you don’t. I think the critical thing is for our guys to keep battling. We had some success there I think.”

(On the third and one pass to Jordan Cameron)- “We were in a running formation, it was obviously a heavy play-action throw, and it’s a deep cross concept where the quarterback makes a decision, if it’s open down the field take it, but otherwise we want to end the play with a first down, so there are check downs spaced out. Jordan (Cameron) actually, from what I heard, this is just off the headsets, I couldn’t quite see it, but he fell down then got back up and made that play. It was a good job.”

(On how big of a spark Joshua Cribbs’ punt return was)- “His returns are a huge spark. God knows what’s going to happen when Cribbs has the ball in his hand, especially on punt returns. We talk about whether he plays offense or not, but when he’s out there and the field is wide and there’s bodies all over the place he just has a unique ability to make plays. He did the same thing in coverage. His presence on the field on special teams is not undervalued in my mind and his punt returns, of course, his kick returns did give us a jump.”

(On Joe Haden’s performance)- “I thought Joe did a heck of a job. It’s not easy. Even though he stayed in shape and he tried to stay into it mentally. I went into this thinking there might be some rough spots, that he hasn’t played in a while and I thought for the most part he battled. He did a real nice job.”

(On Montario Hardesty’s performance after not having a carry all year)- “I’ll tell you what, it’s the next man up deal. We need a backup and I told him before you become a starter you have to learn how to be a backup and part of that process is being ready to go at all times. Montario to his credit has done that and he got in there and had a chance to be productive.”

(On Hardesty having a burst today)- “He did a good job. I’m happy for him too because he had a significant contribution in this victory. I’m happy for him.”

(On Brandon Weeden’s performance and the team clicking in the fourth quarter)- “I think you just continue to battle when you’re a quarterback. My emotions go up and down with very single play good and bad so I’m going like this with the quarterback and he just stayed just like this. He just keeps battling. I think there’s something in that that’s going to make him a good player in this league.”

(On Sheldon Brown’s performance)- “He battled. I saw a focused look in his eye and he did a really good job today.”

(On if a game like this helps sell what he’s doing to the guys in the locker room)- “There is no question. All along I’ve talked about how I’ve seen this team improve and we all know this is a winning business so now we can quantify how this improvement points to winning. So now once you’ve done something once then it’s important that you repeat it. Now the effort that I’ll put in will be about making sure that we continue the process and that work will be consistent. You try to recreate it all over and over and over. That sounds cliché, but that’s the issue.”

(On what winning does in terms of relieving pressure)- “I don’t know. I think the joy of winning relieves whatever. I think that’s what we’re all searching for.”

(On Cribbs holding the ball on kickoffs due to wind and if that changes the coverage)- “No, what happens is you kind of have to show your hand of who the safeties are. I think that’s normal in football so then they are like, ‘This is the safety.’ Depending on how you’re trying to cover the kick. They had to do the same thing as well. It makes it a little bit easier defining who you’re trying to block, but that’s just the way we have to do it when it’s windy like that.”

(On Cincinnati’s drive and what was going through his mind during the sack and then fumble recovery by Billy Winn)- “I thought we had battled back. We started out behind when they scored. I had full confidence. I was not thinking, ‘Okay, here we go.’ That was not my thought process. I knew they had to make this many plays to beat us. I just kept reminding guys we have to do this, don’t let them do this first, and the fact that we got pressure, the sack and the fumble I think that just goes to show you that we had guys out there because that’s hard at that is to process because they had just done that for six or eight snaps. Billy Winn did a good job, stripped the ball and he handled it pretty well too. Defensive linemen are legendary to wanting to play offense. He wants to play fullback tight end, quarterback so when he runs with the ball I feel like he’s auditioning (joking), but he did a nice job.”

(On if it’s more rewarding with a division win at home)- “Yeah, I think it’s important. Number one, winning the division you’ve got to win the games. I think it’s important that we try to establish a winning tradition here at home. We need to do that and it all runs parallel and of course winning the division games is the best way to start winning the division. As you’re developing a team that can win consistently these are all steps in the process.”

(On when he was aware of Trent Richardson’s injury)- “Quicker than everybody. Yeah, early in the game. Trent was in and out and we’re evaluating him. I get all of the information as it goes.”

(On if the injury occurred early in the game)- “Earlier in the game, yes. First half.”

(On if Richardson tried to go back in)- “Yeah, he wants to be in there and he tried to go. He’s a warrior.”